Ubisoft has posted a statement on the company’s website titled “A Year of Change at Ubisoft,” where it outlined changes made after abuse allegations surfaced last year. Some of the changes mentioned include the addition of an anonymous reporting system, a reworking of management’s compensation criteria, and the appointment of new executives.
Guillemot states that Ubisoft has since “engaged in a company-wide effort to listen, learn and build a roadmap for a better Ubisoft.” Reports of inappropriate behaviour are now handled by an independent “external partner” to ensure impartiality, via a “platform that guarantees anonymity.” Additionally, the company stated that it had “took appropriate actions” after launching a series of investigations after the initial controversy.
The statement from Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot comes just over a week after reports that the company was continuing to mishandle reports of harassment. Gameindustry.biz reported that, while some of the accused had been reprimanded or resigned, many of the abusers involved still kept their positions at Ubisoft. Other reports, such as a measure to hire more women and provide accountability training sessions to new hires had also gone ignored.
Guillemot also highlighted the appointment of Anika Grant as the new Chief People Officer, as well as Belén Essioux-Trujillo as an independent board member and Raashi Sikka as the VP of Global Diversity & Inclusion. According to Guillemot, these appointments will help strengthen the company’s “global corporate culture and HR organization.” Sikka’s appointment in the D&I department, in particular, will reportedly “encourage team members across Ubisoft to constantly challenge their perspectives” through a focus on empowering Employee Resource Groups.
Finally, the company has also conducted group-wide assessments for over 14,000 employees, as well as an anonymous questionnaire. The HR department was also audited by the consulting firm Accenture, and the Code of Conduct was updated to include mentions of non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies. It also reworked the compensation for managers, which now assesses the “ability to care for people, behave inclusively, and foster a safe and respectful work environment.”
Guillemot ends by stressing his personal commitment to improving workplace culture, and thanked those who supported the company as it “continue(s) to learn and grow.” Whether or not these new changes will yield results is yet to be seen. However, if these changes were made prior to the abuse allegations made last week, it suffices to say that Ubisoft still has a long road ahead.
[Source: Ubisoft Official Website]
